Chris's Sharebook 

Similar to pit bull fighting, pigeon racing is a cruel hobby that entertains spectators at the expense of animal lives. Pigeon race organizers train homing pigeons and drive them hundreds of miles away from their homes before releasing them. The bird who flies home fastest wins the race.

In many races, over 60 percent of the birds die due to severe weather, predators, electric line or exhaustion. In one race, which tool place in Queens, NY, only four out of 213 birds survived. Some racers intentionally separate birds from their mates and young to encourage them to fly home faster. Pigeons are caring mates and parents, and this separation causes severe emotional distress. After racing season, the babies are often killed.

In addition to being cruel, the "sport" encourages illegal gambling. Pigeon racing raises an estimated $15 million a year, a major motivator for participants. Please sign the petition to convince Attorney General Eric Holder to take action against pigeon racing.